Caryl

This year the FNZAS is giving back something in return for the capitations you pay as a club member to the federation.
The opportunity to take part in a raffle for a new aquarium worth over $2000 
ONE LUCKY FINANCIAL MEMBER WILL WIN THIS.


SO MAKE SURE YOUR MEMBERSHIP IS REGISTERED FOR THE DRAW

I know this is a bit old now, but I have used aquatic mix and it seemed to work well. My new tank will be using a mixture of garden soil and aquatic mix, just to see how it goes. capped with about 3 - 4cm of Daltons propagating sand
Tried organic potting mix once but the tank didn't work very well.

Also Cryptocoryne balansai 

Apistogramma nijsseni

Sphaerichthys vaillanti - Vaillant's Chocolate Gourami
 
 
 
 

I hope she is right handed.

Sphaerichthys selatanensis – Chocolate Gourami
 
 
 

American Flagfish - Jordanella floridae
 
 

Here's the video: 
 

Still going well, pothos has certainly removed a lot of nitrates.

You had better do a thorough search first and check if that was for a single fish or a pair 

I have no experience with apistos or rams but a quick search tells me apistos need at least 75L and rams need 38L minimum.
Not sure of their availability (been years since I have been in a fish shop) but have you thought of going brackish with Bumblebee gobies, Brachygobius xanthozona?
Not for beginner fishkeepers.

Some photos from 10 years ago   
 

Longnose hawkfish - Oxycirrhites typus


Blotched Hawkfish - Cirrhitichthys aprinus


Checkerboard Wrasse - Halichoeres hortulanus


Blueface Angelfish - Pomacanthus xanthometopon


Blue Ring Angelfish - Pomacanthus annularis


Purple firefish - Nemateleotris decora


Clown Anemone Shrimp - Periclimenes brevicarpalis


Blotched Hawkfish - Cirrhitichthys aprinus

 

I wouldn't as you might find you have one happy, even more giant, kokopu and no goldfish.

Rhinecanthus aculeatus - Picasso triggerfish and Acanthurus sohal - Sohal surgeonfish


Pygoplites diacanthus - Regal angelfish


Wyoming White Clownfish


Coral reef

Mesonauta festivus - Festive Cichlid


Betta splendens - Female Crowntail Siamese Fighting Fish


Danio aesculapii - Panther danio


Symphysodon aequifasciatus - Stardust discus

Verification of Alternanthera sessilis ’Red’ species in cultivation within New Zealand
Botanical name: Alternanthera sessilis
Synonyms:  A. denticulata R. Brown, A. glabra, A. nodiflora R. Brown, Gomphrena sessilis L., Illecebrum sessile L.
Common name: Rubra,  A. sessilis var. rubra,  A. sessilis 'Lilacina',  Sessile Joyweed,  A. sessilis 'Rosaefolia etc
 
https://www.beke.co.nz/slike/gluposti/Alternanthera sessilis.pdf
 
 

Verification of Lindernia rotundifolia species in cultivation within New Zealand
Botanical name: Lindernia rotundifoliaSynonyms: 
Bonnaya rotundifolia, Ilysanthes rotundifolia, Morgania rotundifolia
Common name: Baby’s Tears, Roundleaf Lindernia, Roundleaf Flase Pimpernel
In the aquarium plant trade in New Zealand Lindernia rotunndifolia has been traded under  various names eg. Rotala indica, Bacopa monnieri etc.The plants of L. rotunndifolia were obtained from a wholesale distributor and aquatic plant nursery in New Plymouth, New Zealand. This document  provided a written description  and  images of L. rotunndifolia to support positive identification of the plant.
 
https://www.beke.co.nz/slike/gluposti/Lindernia rotundifolia.pdf

Oh wow, I am so sorry to hear that. I don't think he was very old either. Dark always wrote good posts here and was always quick to offer help and/or advice.
Condolences to his wife, family and friends.

I keep chocolate gouramis in a blackwater tank.  For water changes I make tannin-stained water with a pH of around 5 using Yates Hauraki Gold peat in a coffee maker (the old school kind that drips hot water through the grounds).  A lot of sources say that pH doesn't matter and that soft water is what counts, but I found that the chocolates I had didn't look good or stay healthy for long until I brought the pH way down with peat.  My remaining pair is going strong, and a few days ago I got five more to keep them company.
The newbies are in a quarantine tank and I have been changing out some of their water for peat water every day to acclimatise them to the conditions of the display tank.  The quarantine filter wasn't cycled so I've been feeding light, every second day in addition to doing 50% daily water changes.  I have tested pH daily to keep an eye on the drop, but yesterday I tested for ammonia and nitrite too and was startled to find that not only was ammonia already at 1 ppm before I did the water change, it actually increased after the water change.
Now, the fish in quarantine have not showed any abnormal behaviour and I even saw courting today.  The pH is currently at or below 6 (bottom limit of the API test, will use SERA next time as it covers low range) and at that low pH the ammonia is not toxic to the fish, so I'm not concerned for their immediate welfare.  (I will be checking often for nitrite as I understand that it is more toxic in acid conditions.)  
But I was disturbed, because as the peat doesn't have any added fertilisers, it never occurred to me that it would contain ammonia.  So, I made up another batch of peat water today and tested it - it look to be somewhere between 2 and 4 ppm, I couldn't really tell, but high.  I tested my display tank, which had a water change the day before yesterday - barest trace of ammonia, no nitrite, nitrate about 5ppm.  I've obviously been unknowingly dumping ammonia in there for ages and the filter just clears it over a few days.
I'm puzzled.  A quick internet search didn't yield much information, a couple of aquarists who have found that their peat contains ammonia, a couple of companies who sell peat praising it for being excellent at absorbing ammonia.  Does all peat naturally contain ammonia?  Does anyone know?  I am on my second bag of peat, I have no idea whether the first bag I used added ammonia though I suppose it did.  I do remember when I started using it being concerned about the beneficial bacteria dying off as the pH dropped, and I tested to check.  I didn't see any ammonia at the time, but I'm sure I would have tested before a water change, not afterwards.  What about peat granules sold for aquarium use, has anyone ever tested them?  It seems very odd to me that peat is widely recommended as a natural way to soften water, with no mention of releasing ammonia.
And what about water changes going forward?  I really want to keep the pH down and the peat is the only way that has worked for me - using distilled water only got me down to high 6's and I was still losing fish.  They are now healthy, vibrant and apparently happy in their peat water, so perhaps I should keep just doing what I'm doing and not worry about the ammonia?
If anyone here has experience with blackwater tanks and/or using peat, I'd be grateful to hear your thoughts.

Betta splendens

I, for one, appreciate all your wonderful photos 

Finally it is almost done! I still need more plant information eg water quality, temperature etc but in order to identify an aquatic plant that you often see in a pet shop in New Zealand that information is not  critical.
I hope that somebody may find this catalogue useful.
https://www.beke.co.nz/slike/gluposti/biljke.pdf

Hi everybody.
Hope you all had a great Christmas and safe New Years.
My name is Jon and I want to introduce you all to my new company, Scales and Tails.
I have taken over the import of the premium German product, Sera.
My goal is to have Sera as a everyday household brand for brand new fish/reptile keeper to the most experienced.
I am working on the product every day and expanding the range as quickly as possible.
My prices are pocket friendly with free shipping option to boot.
Check us out and www.scalesandtails.co.nz
20% off until midnight tonight with the code SERA, but dont worry. Until the end of January ill be running daily specials and promotions.
follow us on facebook; Scales and Tails to keep up with us and feel free to reach out to talk anything wet :).

Caryl - Many thanks!

Robert - I see you are not only good at bird shots, but macro too! My garden is only one year old. We bought the place in 2014 with a weed patch out the back that was too steep to use. Took everything out and got a fortune worth of soil delivered to terrace the section. Planted last year around Christmas, and now I enjoy watching all kind of creatures moving in. I knew the lizards were back when the kingfishers sat on the power lines again!